[Anchor]

Today (October 7), parliamentary audit venues across the National Assembly grew heated with fierce debates over the film 'The Assassin(s).' The People Power Party, which claimed that the movie spreads a "third-rate conspiracy theory," clashed head-on with the Democratic Party, which accused them of trying to "censor what is inside the people's minds."

Reporter Kim Jin-woo reports.

[Reporter]

From the very beginning, the parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism saw rival parties clash over whether to summon the production team of 'The Assassin(s),' including director Hur Jin-ho and the screenwriter, as witnesses.

[Kim Seung-soo / Lawmaker, People Power Party: "There are very many citizens who are curious about the intention behind the malicious editing."]

[Choi Min-hee / Lawmaker, Democratic Party: "A movie is just a movie. A parliamentary audit is hardly a venue for ideological censorship."]

In response to questions from People Power Party lawmakers asking whether the film constituted historical distortion, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young replied, "It is a matter for the public and audience to judge."

[Choi Hwi-young / Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism: "I am of the view that there should be no restrictions on imagination and creative expression."]

During the audit of the Ministry of Education, People Power Party lawmakers questioned officials to the effect that the ministry should intervene to stop group viewings by students at certain schools, arguing that the film could instill a distorted perception of history in students.

[Jeong Seong-guk / Lawmaker, People Power Party: "It is laying the groundwork for a third-rate conspiracy theory that leaves the lingering implication that it might have been a staged act by former President Park Chung-hee and the Korea Central Intelligence Agency."]

Lawmakers from the broader ruling camp questioned whether they were trying to censor even the thoughts of the public.

[Kang Kyung-sook / Lawmaker, Rebuilding Korea Party: "The National Assembly is not a film censorship committee. Right now, the People Power Party is mobilizing all its party resources over a single film."]

Minister of Education Choi Gyo-jin stated that there are limits to intervening in students' film-watching choices individually.

[Choi Gyo-jin / Minister of Education: "I believe it is educationally necessary to help them understand how to distinguish between fact and fiction."]

People Power Party lawmakers sent a letter yesterday requesting that the Singapore International Film Festival rescind its selection of 'The Assassin(s)' as its opening film. However, the festival released a statement today saying that it is "aware of the series of discussions surrounding The Assassin(s), respects the creative vision of the filmmakers, and will screen the work as the opening film as scheduled."

(Video by Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan, and Kim Yong-woo | Video editing by Yoo Mi-ra)